Reuters Sports Schedule at 0001 GMT on Saturday, Sept 26

Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Saturday: - - - - FIFA Swiss open criminal investigation of FIFA chief Blatter ZURICH - Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Sepp Blatter, the head of world soccer's governing body FIFA, on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation, the Swiss attorney general's office said on Friday. (SOCCER-FIFA/BLATTER (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), moved, 600 words) - - - - RUGBY World Cup (to Oct. 31) Italy v Canada (1330) Italy and Canada look to rebound from opening defeats LEEDS, England - Italy, still without injured captain Sergio Parisse, and Canada bid to get off the mark in Pool D after defeats in their opening games. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/ITALY-CANADA (PIX), expect by 1515 GMT/11:15 AM ET, by Tom Hayward, 400 words) - - South Africa v Samoa (1545) Wounded South Africa ring the changes against Samoa BIRMINGHAM - South Africa have plenty to prove when they face Samoa at Villa Park in a team showing eight changes from the side stunned 34-32 by Japan in their opening World Cup Pool B game. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/SAFRICA-SAMOA (PIX), by Mark Gleeson and Rex Gowar, expect by 1730 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by , 400 words) - - England v Wales (1900) Local rivalry moves onto world stage LONDON - England and Wales clash in the first meeting between two of the three big guns in Pool A as they look to bolster their quarter-final hopes. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/ENGLAND-WALES, expect by 21.30 GMT/5:30 PM ET, 400 words plus sidebars, by Mitch Phillips, Justin Palmer, Ossian Shine). - - PREVIEWS Wallabies to make changes for Uruguay BIRMINGHAM, England - Australia will field a much-changed team against Uruguay on Sunday after beating Fiji 28-13 in their opening Pool A match. The Wallabies failed to get a bonus point and must beat the South Americans comprehensively to keep the pressure on group rivals England and Wales. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/AUSTRALIA-URUGUAY (PREVIEW), moved, by Nick Mulvenney, 400 words) - - Ireland v Romania Schmidt to utilise squad depth against Romania LONDON - Competition for places will be foremost in Ireland coach Joe Schmidt's mind with the New Zealander set to ring the changes for their second Pool D game against Romania on Sunday after a slick opening win over Canada. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/IRELAND-ROMANIA (PREVIEW), moved, by Justin Palmer, 400 words) - - - - Scotland v United States Scotland face fitness test from physical United States LONDON - Scotland, having seen off a tired looking Japan after their heroics against South Africa, face a fitness challenge of their own with only four days' preparation for a clash with the United States. The Scots must make some personnel changes and may find it tough to grab the bonus point that could prove crucial in a tight Pool B. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/SCOTLAND-USA (PREVIEW), moved, by John Geddie, 400 words) - - - - MOTOR RACING Japanese Formula One Grand Prix qualifying Hamilton hungry to be back on pole SUZUKA, Japan - Double Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is hungry for a 12th pole in 14 races after the Mercedes driver's run of seven in a row came to an end in Singapore last weekend. Team mate Nico Rosberg and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel will be out to stop him. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/, PIX, expect by 0715 GMT/3.15 AM ET, By Alan Baldwin, 500 words) We will also have news from around the paddock. - - - - SOCCER Premier League (1400 unless stated) Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (1145) Leicester City v Arsenal Liverpool v Aston Villa Manchester United v Sunderland Southampton v Swansea City Stoke City v AFC Bournemouth West Ham United v Norwich City Newcastle United v Chelsea (1630) Man City at Spurs, Chelsea visit Newcastle LONDON - Leaders Manchester City visit Tottenham Hotspur in the early kickoff looking to rebound after losing their 100 percent record last weekend, while struggling champions Chelsea visit Newcastle United in the late game. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PIX), expect from 1345 GMT/9:45 AM ET, by Martyn Herman, 600 words) - - La Liga Barcelona v Las Palmas (1400) Real Madrid v Malaga (1615) Sevilla v Rayo Vallecano (1830) Villarreal v Atletico Madrid (1830) Eibar v Celta Vigo (2005) Barca aim to put Celta loss behind them against Las Palmas BARCELONA - Barcelona seek to get back on track in La Liga following their 4-1 thrashing at in-form Celta Vigo with the visit of Las Palmas, while leaders Real Madrid take on Malaga and Atletico Madrid are at Villarreal in a clash between the fourth and third-placed teams. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PIX) expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, by Tim Hanlon, 400 words) - - Bundesliga (1330) Mainz v Bayern Munich FC Augsburg v Hoffenheim VfB Stuttgart v Borussia Moenchengladbach VfL Wolfsburg v Hanover 96 Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen Hamburg SV v Schalke 04 Leaders Bayern out to extend lead against Mainz BERLIN - Champions Bayern Munich will go five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga if they beat Mainz 05 for their seventh straight victory this season, with second-placed Borussia Dortmund in action on Sunday. (SOCCER-GERMANY/ (PIX), expect by 1530 GMT/11:30 AM ET, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words) - - Serie A AS Roma v Carpi (1600) Napoli v Juventus (1845) Juve visit fellow strugglers Napoli, Roma host Carpi MILAN - Champions Juventus travel to Napoli with both sides in need of a win after a dismal start to the season, while last season's runners-up Roma should dismiss lowly newcomers Carpi as they bid to breathe life into a stuttering campaign. (SOOCER-ITALY/, expect by 2045 GMT/4:45 PM ET, by Ed Dove, 300 words) - - Ligue 1 (1800) Nantes v Paris St Germain (1530) Caen v GFC Ajaccio Girondins Bordeaux v Olympique Lyon Stade Rennes v ES Troyes AC Bastia v Toulouse PSG look to extend Ligue 1 lead PARIS - Unbeaten champions Paris St Germain hope to extend their lead in Ligue 1 when they visit struggling Nantes at La Beaujoire with second-placed St Etienne, who are a point behind, not playing until Sunday. (SOCCER-FRANCE/ (PIX), by 1730 GMT/1:30 PM ET, by Julien Pretot, 300 words) - - Dutch championship Utrecht v SC Cambuur (1630) Heerenveen v Vitesse Arnhem (1630) Ajax Amsterdam v Groningen (1745) AZ Alkmaar v Heracles Almelo (1845) PSV Eindhoven v NEC Nijmegen (1845) Leaders Ajax host Groningen, PSV welcome Nijmegen AMSTERDAM - Leaders Ajax Amsterdam host mid-table Groningen while PSV Eindhoven need a win at home to Nijmegen to stay in touch with the leaders and second-placed Heracles Almelo, just a point off top spot, visit lowly AZ Alkmaar. (SOCCER-DUTCH/, expect by 2045 GMT/4:45 PM ET, 300 words) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: Tour Championship (to 27th) Stenson extends lead to three, Spieth charges into second ATLANTA - Henrik Stenson held firm at rain-soaked East Lake Golf Club, while Jordan Spieth made a charge to stand three strokes back after Friday's second round at the season-ending Tour Championship. (GOLF-PGA/ (PIX), moved, by Larry Fine, 400 words) - - European Tour: European Open, Bad Griesbach, Germany (to 27) Schwartzel in three-way tie for the lead BERLIN - Former U.S. Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, 2008 European Open winner Ross Fisher and fellow Briton Graeme Storm share the lead on 10-under-par going into the third round in Germany. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 1800 GMT/2 PM ET, 300 words) - - - - TENNIS ATP: Moselle Open, Metz, France (to 27) WTA: Guangzhou Open, China (to 26) Korean Open (to 27) Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo (to 27) Copy on merit - - - - SPORT Aerobatic plane racer keeps 'pushing the envelope' ELOY, Arizona - As one of the top pilots on the Red Bull Air Race circuit American Kirby Chambliss competes in a sport where you do not often get the chance to learn from your mistakes. (SPORT-AIRRACING/CHAMBLISS (FEATURE), moved, by Steve Keating, 850 words) - - - - CYCLING Road Cycling world championships (to 27) Cookson says reforms will bring peace to troubled sport RICHMOND, Virginia - International Cycling Union (UCI) chief Brian Cookson hailed a new era of peace within the sport on Friday after the organsiation approved a sweeping series of reforms for men's road cycling. (CYCLING-WORLD/COOKSON, moved, by Steve Keating, 450 words) - - - - BASEBALL Astros and Rangers clash in AL West matchup The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, in a tight battle for the American League West crown, open a three-game set in one of the 15 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, 800 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0000 GMT/8:00 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) (Asia Desk Editor: Patrick Johnston)